Read Song of Songs 5:2–8
Questions from the Scripture text: What is the contradictory condition of the bride (Song of Songs 5:2a)? What does she hear (verse 2b)? What is He doing (verse 2c)? What does He call her (verse 2d–e)? What does He ask her to do (verse 2d)? Why (verse 2f–g)? What is her first excuse (Song of Songs 5:3a–b)? What is her second excuse (verse 3c–d)? What does the Bridegroom do in Song of Songs 5:4a–b? How does her heart now respond (verse 4c)? What does she do in Song of Songs 5:5a? To do what? What does she get on her hands and fingers (verse 5b–c)? From where (verse 5d)? What does she finally do in Song of Songs 5:6a? What does she find (verse 6b)? What failed at the memory of His words (verse 6c)? What two things does she now do (verse 6d–e)? With what results? Who find her, where (Song of Songs 5:7a)? What do they do to her (verse 7b)? In what other role (verse 7c) do they do what to her (verse 7d)? Whom, then, does she address (Song of Songs 5:8a)? What does she hope they will do (verse 8b)? What does the bride ask them to tell Him (verse 8c)?
What do the backslidden need? Song of Songs 5:2–8 prepares us for the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the backslidden need Christ’s Word, Christ’s grace, Christ’s ordinances, and the prayers of Christ’s people.
This passage treats a similar situation to Song of Songs 3:1–5, but much worse. She is experiencing the conflict of having a new nature (the awakened heart, Song of Songs 5:2a), but being spiritually sleepy and lazy (cf. Matthew 26:40–45; Romans 13:11–14). The Lord knocks and calls, as He often does by His Word, piling up affectionate addresses to her (Song of Songs 5:2d–e), and reminding her of what He is willing to endure to be with her (verse 2f–g). But she responds with those horrible excuses that come from wayward hearts: as if it is too much trouble and unpleasantness to avail ourselves of fellowship with Christ (Song of Songs 5:3)! Blessed be Christ’s grace, He responds more directly and insistently, beginning to open the door Himself (Song of Songs 5:4a–b), with the effect that her heart is now moved (verse 4c). But, though she finds unmistakable evidence of it being He Who has done so (Song of Songs 5:5), she does not immediately find Him (Song of Songs 5:6a–b, cf. Song of Songs 3:2). This time, when the watchmen find her, they strike her until she feels the sting of their ministry (Song of Songs 5:7a–b)—possibly in faithfulness, and possibly lacking some tenderness. In their role as keepers of the walls (verse 7c), they take her wedding veil (verse 7d)… something that happens either by loss of assurance or overt discipline. So, she avails herself not only of the public ordinances represented in “about the city” in verse 7, but of the prayers of the members of the church (Song of Songs 5:8). Those who are spiritually backslidden do well to ask those church members (verse 8a) who are finding to Christ (verse 8b) to pray for them (verse 8c). O, dear reader, the Lord give you to resist spiritual slumber, and to respond immediately to all of His knocking and calling. But, when you don’t, the Lord give you His grace that moves your heart to seek Him in both: His public ordinances, and the prayers of His people.
When has the Lord awakened you, and you let the moment pass? By what means are you correcting that?
Sample prayer: Lord, come, we pray, and knock to us and call to us by Your Word. Give us to rise and open to You. Make us to persevere until we find You. Grant that We would look for You in Your ordinances, even if we are wounded in that pursuit, and give us to avail ourselves of one another’s prayers. Make our hands to drip with the myrrh of knowing that it is You Who pursues us, we ask in Your Name, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP32AB “What Blessedness” or TPH51C “God, Be Merciful to Me”
No comments:
Post a Comment